Improvement in locomotive draw-bridges



G. SICKLESTEEL.

Locomotive Draw-Bridges.

L 1 1 H\v .Q .bw

@I lllll f f Witnesses;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SICKLESTEEL, OF LAPEER, MICHIGAN,

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCOMCTIVE DRAWABRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,843, dated January 27, 1874; application filed September 13, 1873.

To all whom 'it `may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SIOKLESTEEL,

' of Lapeer, in the county of Lapeer and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Bridge, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of a strong 'ame, about as long as two spaces and two abutments of an ordinary bridge, or longer, if desired, mounted on wheels, and the wheels so arranged and connected together that the locomotive being run'onto the bridge, and rested with each of its driving-wheels on two wheels of the bridge and set in motion, its wheels will set the wheels ot' the bridge in motion, and cause it to cross on the abutments, the bridge always being, supported by two of the abutments, or more if made longer, so as to prevent it from tilting down between them. Thus I provide a movable bridge, which itself crosses with theV cars, and leaves the spaces between the abutments free for the passage of vessels. the place of the draw-bridges now used for navigable streams, and is calculated t0 save much time, both to the cars and vessels.

Figure l is a side elevation of a bridge such as I propose for carrying a locomotive across a stream, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bridge.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the abutments or piers, which have rails B on the top, but no permanent structure like other bridges. C represents a long structure of iron, or iron and wood, adapted to support a locomotive and some The said bridge is intended to take cars upon rail D, adapted for the said locomotive and cars to run on om the railway-track. E represents numerous wheels placed at suitable distances apart along the frame on which it rolls on the rails B. F represents other wheels, which also run on the rails B, and, be-

sides, are geared, by endless wire ropes or other suitable means,'witl1 wheels on the drivers G, which gear with the axles of wheels H, on which the locomotive drive-wheels I rest, as represented in the drawing, to turn thus, `and thereby set the bridge in motion, the loeomo-` tive-wheels being turned in the usual way by the locomotive itself. J represents short pieces of rails arranged on pieces K, which, in practice, are to be arranged to slide over the wheels H immediately after the locomotive-wheels motive-wheels, and move the bridgeacross the` abutments, in the manner described.

2. The combination of the laterally-adjusting rail-sections J K with the bridge and the wheels H, substantially as specied.

GEORGE SIGKLESTEEL.

Witnesses S. S. HICKS, C. M. HEMINGWAY. 

